The Francis Marion University baseball team will return to Peach Belt Conference action with a three-game series against Claflin University on Friday and Saturday (March 5-6). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m.
Admission to the Griffin Athletic Complex for Tuesday's baseball game will be limited to 250 spectators, including only FMU season ticket holders, FMU students who pick up free tickets prior to first pitch, and family members of team members who purchase tickets beforehand. No walk-up day-of-game ticket sales will be available. Spectators will be required to wear masks and social distancing will be observed.
Francis Marion (4-4, 2-4) will send three seniors – right-hander
Daniel Twitty (0-0 record, 6.48 ERA), southpaw
Weston Rogers (1-1, 3.86), and righty
Bailey Wendel (0-1, 5.19) – to the mound this weekend against the Panthers (1-10, 1-10).
The Patriots currently lead the league in batting at .327 with 97 hits and 56 runs batted in. Two Patriots rank in the top-10 in the PBC in hitting. Senior third baseman
Todd Mattox ranks No.4 with a .462 average, while scoring seven runs and driving in eight. The Winnsboro native is slugging .590 and has an on-base percentage of .475. He also ranks No.2 in the PBC in hits with 18. He has reached base safely in each of the last 16 games dating back to last season.
FMU junior right fielder
Will Hardee ranks No.5 in batting at .459 with two doubles, a home run, and nine RBIs. The hometown kid is slugging .595 with a .488 on-base percentage. Sophomore left fielder
Jack Hegan is also in the top-20 in batting at .375.
Senior outfielder/pitcher Steve Joyner leads the Panthers in hitting with a .326 average and three doubles, a home run, and two RBIs. He is slugging .465 with an on-base percentage of .383.
With a 698-445-2 record in 24 seasons as a college head coach, FMU head coach
Art Inabinet is two wins away from reaching the win No.700 milestone. The Patriots lead the all-time series with the Panther 20-1.
